Wood-splitting machine.



P. F. WISE. WOOD SPUTTING MACHINE.

Patented July I8, I899. I

No. 629,l44.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1896.)

(N0 Modai.)

. agx.

To all tel tom it may cmwerizr V Be it known that 1, PETER F. Wrsna citi- UNITED S ATES.

PATENT OFFICE;

PETER F. WISE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

.WOOD-SPLITTING MACHINE;

srncirioarron forming art of Letters Patent no. 629,144, dated 31115 18, late.

Appmliitn iiled Mate 27,1898. sn'n No. 706,441. (No model.)

zen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Wood-Splitting Machines, of which the following is a specification, The particular object of my invention is to provide a wood-splitting machine-whichmay be cheaply constructed, will be durable and eificient in operation, and will'require a very small amount of power in comparison with machines of like capacity. Y

My invention relates to the various 'fea tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafterfully set forth and claimed,

whereby I accomplish the objects above setforth.

The accompanying drawingsillustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective front elevation of a machine embodying my invention. ln this view the axis shown in its raised position. Fig. 2 is an end view of my improved splitting-ax. Fig; 3 is asectionalview of my improved splitting-anvil. v

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, which may be made of timbers or any suitable material. a

a a. represent uprightsarrangedatlthe front end of the machine, and b b represent v uprights arranged at the rear of the machine. 0 is my improved splitting-ax, which is I j formed of a cast-metal head C, provided with a handle-socket c and projecting pivot-ears D is an arc-handle, which is rigidly secured I in the handle-socket at one 'end and has its other end pivoted between the uprightsb b by means of apivot b".

The lower end of this aX-head is bev-= eled into wedge shape and a steel shoeOf formed in wedge-shape, is fitted upon the lowerend of the ax-head and secured thereto The ax is arranged in front of the uprights a a and the aX-handle reciprocates up and down therebetween'.

removed or placed so I per end of this, arm is bifurcated and is by means of a pintle e pivoted to the lower end of the, upper members E E-of the toggle arm. The upper ends of the toggle-arms E E" 'are pivoted to the uprights a a by the {pivot e.

- G'is a crank-shaft, which is journaled in the rear portion of the machine and is provided at one end with a crank g and at the other end with a belt-wheel g. A connecting or pitman IOd'Gr' is journaledat one end upon the crank on the crank-shaft by means of the crank-pin e, andatitsother end it is journaled upon he pivot-pin e and between the members of the bifurcated togglearm E. 7

His my improved anvil-block, which is formedof the upper or top member which is provided with a metal protectingplate 71,. This upper member is provided with a transverse bolt I, which extends through from the front to the rear and is provided upon its outer end with a cross-bar t, adapted to engage with the uprights a a when the bolt is tightened by means of the butterfly-nut I.

H, is the base-block, which is provided through its center with a perforation, and h h" h', resp ec tiyely, represent adj usting-blocks which are eachjprovided with a perforation. To'the upper block h' is secured a bolt or'shaft h.", which passes thro ughthe perforations in all the other blocksand through the foundation or base block, thereby holding the blocks rigidly in relation with each other.

Different lengths of wood can be split by altering the height of the anvil-plate h. This is done in the following manner: The butterfly nut I on the bolt 1 is loosened, allowing the cross-bar t' and topplate 71 to be. removed. Then the section it"? is raised, carrying with it the bolt h thereby allowing the lower section h to be removed; By raising the bolt h clear out of the openings in all of the different sections h. h",&c., all of them can be removed. When the blocks are that the topplat'e 72"" is at the desired elevation, the cross-bar '5 and anvil-top h are replaced and drawn toward the bolt and nut to clamp the uprights a a posit o -V In practical opeiation, t ranged as shown in Fig 1, the c ank-shaft is rotated in the dire ition in licatzd by arrows, thus to swing the c 'ank, and by m sans of the connecting-rod to alternately straighten and flex the toggle-joint, thus to raise the ax, the ax moving in the arc of which the pivotb is the en te is placed beneath t 1e ax in the i sual manner when the ax is elevated, an (1 upon the downstroke the wood is split. If the w )od should cling to the ax, it is freed therefrom by coming against the stc ps D I when the ax is raised.

I have found that I secure bet er results by arrar ging the crank-shaft below ti o horizontal plane passing through the pi votal point of the t Jggle-arm and with such relation thereto that when the toggle is flexed to its fullest extert the upper member of the toggle the I itman-rod will stand substantiall right angles with each other.

By stationing the driving-shaft horiz antal plane of the togglc-jo nt and cansie device being ar- )f a circle The wood below the ng the crank to be rotated, as indicate 1 by the arrow, the pull of the pitman G upon the toggle E will be downward to a greater or less extent, depending upon the distance bc low the line the shaft is placed, thereby adding that much power to the force of the dcwnward blow of the ax upon the wood. S nce the head of the ax is pivoted to the end of the toggle and the end of the ax-handle is pivc ted to the frame at a point below the horizo atal plane of the lower end of the toggle, the downward movement of the ax from its highest point when the toggle is flexed to its greatest extent will cause the lower end of the lower toggle to move outward and downward as the central part of the toggle moves inward and downward. This movement of the parts will bring the toggle into a straight line quicker than would otherwise be done, and the downward movement of the ax will be increased over that which would otherwise be given. Furthermore, the same increase of speed is gained in flexing the toggle when the ax moves upward. This gives a sharp penetrating blow to cause the ax to enter thewood easily on the stroke and assists in clearing the ax from the wood on-the upstroke ,in case the wood clings on the blade on account of the fibers not being all separated.

The top toggle-pivot is rearward of a vertical line drawnfrom the lower toggle-pivot, and the parts are so arranged that before the ax is at its lowest point of its stroke the lower arm E of the toggle passes its right angle with the ax-handle D, thus to applythe power most effectively.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters by means of a rearwardly-projecting handle to the frame; the toggle-arm pivoted at one and lower and.

end to the ax and at the other end to the frame; a crank-shaft ournaled in the frame; and a connecting-rod journaled at one end on the crank-shaft and tivotally secured at its other end to the joint of the toggle-arm.

2. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the main frame; the splitting-ax pivoted to the frame by means of the rearwardly-projectin g handle; the toggle-arm pivoted at one end to the ax and at the other end to the frame of the machine; thecrankshaft journaled in the rear of the frame and arranged below the joint of the toggle-arm; and the pit-man-rod :onnecting the crankshaft with the joint of the toggle-arm.

3. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the frame; the ax pivot-ed by means of a rearwardly-projecting handle to the frame; the toggle-arm pivoted at one end to the ax and at the other end to the frame; the pivotal point between the ax and toggle being above the pivotal point of the handle when the toggle is flexed to its greatest extent; a crank-shaft journaled in the frame; and a connecting-rod journaled at one end on the crank-shaft and pivotally secured at its other end to the joint of the toggle-arm.

4. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the main frame provided with an adjustable anvil and a rigid stop above the anvil; the splitting-ax pivoted to the frame by means of the rearwardly-projecting handie; the toggle-arm pivoted at one end to the axand at the other endto theframeof the machine; the crank-shaft journaled in the rear of the frame and arranged below the joint of the toggle-arm; and the pitman-rod connecting the crank-shaft with the joint of the toggle-arm.

5. In a wood-splitting machine, the combi-- nation set forth of the ax-head provided with the handle-socket and with the pivot-ears projecting upwardly above such socket; the V- shaped steel shoe fitted upon the lower end of the cast head; the handle firmly secured in the handle-socket at one end and having its other end pivoted to the frame of the machine; the toggle-arm having one end pivoted between the pivot-ears of the cast head and its other end pivoted to the frame of the machine; the crank-shaft journaled in the frame; and the connecting-rod journaled at one end upon the crank-shaft and pivoted at its other end to the joint of the toggle.

6. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the splitting-ax; a suitable guide for the ax; a toggle-arm having one end pivoted to the ax and having its other end bifurcated and pivoted to a second bifurcated toggle-arm; such second toggle-arm pivoted by its other end to the frame of the machine; the crank-shaft journaled in the machine; and a connecting-rod journaled at one end to the crank and having its other end journaled between the mem bers of the bifurcated togglearms.

7. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the frame; the ax pivoted to the frame by means of a rearwardly-extending handle; the togglearm pivoted at one end to the ax and pivoted at its other end to the frame; the crank-shaft jourualed in the frame; the connecting-arm journaled at one s end upon the crank-shaft and pivoted at its other end to the joint of the toggle-arm, the

- through perforations in the other regulatingblocks and in the foundation-block.

9. In a wood-splitting machine, the anvil set forth consisting of the top plate; the crossbar; the bolt and nut to draw the top plate and cross-bar toward each other; the regulating-blocks; each provided with the open} ing through; its body to admit the bolt, and the bolt to pass through such blocks.

10. ,In a wood-splitting machine, the combination set forth of the frame; the ax pivoted to the frame by means of a rearwardlyextending handle; the toggle-arm pivoted at one end to the ax and pivoted at its other end to the frame; the crank-shaft journaled in the frame; the connecting-arm journaled at one end upon the crank-shaft and pivoted at its other end to the joint of the toggle-arm, the crank-arm being arranged with such relation to the upper member of the toggle that when the toggle is flexed toits fullest extent the connecting-arm and the upper member of the toggle will form substantially a right angle with relation to each other; the top toggle-pivot being rearward of a vertical line drawn from the lower toggle-pivot, and the partsso arranged to cause the lower togglearm'to pass the right angle with the ax-handle before the ax reaches its lowest point of stroke.

Witnesses:

F. M. TOWNSEND, JAMES R. ToWNsENn.

PETER F. WISE. 

